One Year Later
by zzilly14
Summary: It's one year after the events of Chosen. My take on what happens to everyone and how Spike returns.
1. Returning

_All Buffy characters were created by Joss Whedon. Not me. All non-Buffy characters are my own.  
  
**Notes**: One year post-Chosen. I haven't seen "Angel" so anything that happened on that show is out the window in this story!_  
  


**One Year Later  
I: Returning  
**by Zzilly14  


  
  
One year. 365 days. Well, 366. 2004 had been a leap year, after all.  
  
One year ago, the Chosen One had become a part of the Chosen Many. After seven years, she was finally free to live like normal.  
  
All the Scoobies went their separate ways. Willow, Giles, and Andrew went to Cleveland with some of the new Slayers. Willow and Andrew became Watchers, and after making sure the Slayers at the new Hellmouth were settled okay, the three Watchers traveled to different parts of the world to find and train all the other Slayers.  
  
Faith and Robin, after the latter recovered from his injuries, went to L.A. to help Angel briefly before going East to New York. They broke up a few months later – Robin had proposed and the reformed Slayer refused to settle down. She went to the Hellmouth to kick some demon ass while Robin stayed in the Big Apple.  
  
Xander, Dawn, and Buffy moved down to San Diego for most of the summer. Then one day Buffy couldn't take it anymore. She told her two housemates that as much as she wanted a normal life, she couldn't have one. She would always be a Slayer. After much arguing, Xander and Dawn reluctantly let her leave. Buffy promised to call them, once she decided where she was going.  
  
She did keep in touch, but sporadically. The blonde-haired twenty-something was trying to figure out who she was and what she really wanted in life.  
  
She met up with Willow in Greece and helped her for two months with the new Slayers before moving on to England with Giles. After three more months of training she felt homesick for California. She said her goodbyes and decided to go back to the States.  
  
Meanwhile, Xander and Dawn had grown closer over those six months – having an almost romantic relationship. But Xander felt awkward about it, wanting to move to Cleveland. His excuse to Dawn resulted in the following conversation:  
  
_"The Slayers need someone to guide them."  
  
"Yeah," she replied, "a Watcher. Not some one-eyed clown."  
  
"Hey, Slayers need a good laugh now and then."  
  
"Xander, what's the real reason?"  
  
He sighed. "We haven't heard from Buffy in a while. I thought maybe she'd be over there, so I want to check it out."  
  
"Xander..."  
  
"Okay, okay." He paused for a moment. "It's you. I like you, Dawn... but I feel like I'll be violating some laws if I do something about it."  
  
"So you're going to move away and leave me here all by myself?"  
  
Xander stroked her cheek. "No... I couldn't do that..."  
  
Dawn smiled. "I have an idea! I can come with you! We can go there together, fighting vampires and demons and stuff! Just like the good old days!"_  
  
And so it was. The two left California and went to the other side of the country to the new Hellmouth. Xander never told anyone about him and Dawn's blossoming relationship – they weren't too serious at this point, and Xander wanted to keep it that way.  
  
In January Buffy was back in the United States, stopping in Cleveland for a brief visit before going to L.A. There she met up with Angel and fought alongside him against all the demons and vamps they came in contact with. She was glad to be back in action, as well as being with Angel...  
  
Now it was the middle of May. Buffy had grabbed some lunch at a deli and went to the park to catch up on some light reading – "The Encyclopedia of Hell Dimension Demons (Unabridged)."  
  
"Hey Buffster. How's it going?"  
  
Buffy looked up in shock. "Xander? What are you doing here?" She stood up and hugged her longtime friend. "Why didn't you call me and tell me you were coming?"  
  
Xander grinned. "Surprise?"  
  
Buffy got serious. "Is something wrong? Is there trouble in the Hellmouth?"  
  
"Trouble in the Hellmouth? That's like asking 'Do vampires have fangs?' There's always something coming up in Cleveland. The thing is, I said to myself 'Xander buddy, it's been a while since you've seen Buffy, why not go visit her?' And then I replied 'Okay, Xander, let's get a flight out to L.A. and see her!'"  
  
Buffy laughed. "Well, it's good to see you, Xander. I'm glad you're here."  
  
The two sat down on the park bench in the noonday sun, catching up on things.  
  
"How's Angel doing?" he wondered.  
  
She sighed. "He's fine. Same as always." _Still a great kisser_, she secretly giggled to herself.  
  
Xander scratched his head. "What I meant to say was, how are you two doing?"  
  
"Together? We work good as a team, fighting all the-"  
  
"Buff?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You know what I meant."  
  
She sighed, pushing her hair back behind her ears. "Well... you know how it is with us. We slay vamps, we kiss, slay some more, avoid kissing but do it anyway..."  
  
"It's hard, huh?"  
  
"Yeah. I thought that after nearly five years of non-dating, we'd be okay, that I wouldn't fall into old habits. But true love never dies. Even if you kill your lover..." she thought back to the end of her junior year in high school and shuddered.  
  
"Buffy," said Xander softly, "maybe it's time for you to leave L.A. I know Angel appreciates your help here, but I think he'd understand if you left."  
  
"But where would I go? Sunnydale's gone. As much as I love Will and Giles, training Slayers isn't what I want to do. I want to fight."  
  
Xander patted his friend's back. "Come back to Cleveland with me," he smiled. "It's always nice to have an extra hand when it comes to the Hellmouth. Heck, even though I never admitted it, having Spike on our side was a huge help. Even Andrew was useful. See, Buffster, we..." his voice trailed off when he noticed tears were starting to fall from Buffy's eyes. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Do you know what today is?" she asked him. "It's been exactly one year. One year since all the Potentials got their Slayer powers. One year since Sunnydale became a crater. One year since Spike..." She looked down at her hands and sighed.  
  
Xander held Buffy tightly. "I lost Anya a year ago."  
  
The two friends sat in silence, remembering the gone-but-not-forgotten.  
  
After a few minutes Buffy changed subjects. "I haven't heard from Dawn in a while – how's she doing? Is she staying out of trouble?"  
  
"I've kept her in line," he grinned. "But Buff, there's something I've got to tell you..."  
  
"Is she okay? Xander, what is it?"  
  
He laughed nervously. "Well, Buffy, ole pal, ole buddy... Dawn kind of... has... a boyfriend. Almost."  
  
"She almost has a boyfriend?" Buffy wondered with confusion.  
  
"Okay, look... I really like your sister, but I thought I'd ask your permission first."  
  
Buffy giggled hysterically. "Xander, you crack me up! Why do you always kid around?" She realized that her friend wasn't laughing with her. "Oh my gosh, you're not kidding... you like my sister? She's like, seven years younger than you! Well, unless you count her real age, which means she's twenty years younger than you!"  
  
"I knew you wouldn't take it well, but think about it – if you could choose Dawn's boyfriend, who would it be?"  
  
The Slayer thought for a moment. "Angel. Because I know that he wouldn't try anything funny with her." Then she laughed. "I trust you Xand, I really do. I just have a hard time imagining my sister with one of my best friends. It's kind of weird. Anyway, why ask my permission?"  
  
"I was afraid you'd hurt me if you didn't."  
  
"Xander, if you want to date her, date her! She's almost an adult now, and she can make her own decisions."  
  
"Really? Whew, I'm glad you're not mad at me. Otherwise I'd have to kidnap Dawn and run off to the Caribbean Islands. Or to Hawaii. Or someplace where you couldn't find us."  
  
Buffy laughed. "You know what? I've missed hanging out with you. You could always cheer me up."  
  
He smiled. "I've missed hanging with you too. So, are you coming to Cleveland with me, or are you gonna still hover around Fang Boy?"  
  
"I don't know Xander... I'd love to see Dawn, but Angel needs me here. I can't abandon him."  
  
The one-eyed man sighed loudly. "Look, talk to Angel about it, see what he thinks about it. Okay?"  
  
Buffy nodded. "Okay... I will. Tonight, I'll talk to him."  
  
"And no kissing."  
  
"No lip contact. Got it."  
  
...  
  
Eight hours later Buffy and Angel were making out passionately, and had been for five minutes.  
  
"Angel," the Slayer breathed out, backing away from his lips. "We need to talk."  
  
"About us, I know," he realized as he sat down on the couch at his apartment. "We can't do this anymore, Buffy. I... I think you need to leave town."  
  
She was surprised. "How long have you felt this way?"  
  
"Ever since you decided to move up here a few months ago. I love you, Buffy, but this will never work out. I left Sunnydale because I can never give you what you want. That hasn't changed, and I was afraid that we'd start..." he paused, thinking of what to say.  
  
"Making googly eyes at each other again?" Buffy finished.  
  
"Yeah. Well, sure enough, it happened, and we keep falling into old habits. But what if we go too far? I become Angeleus again. I don't want to risk it."  
  
"So you're kicking me out of your city?"  
  
"No... I'm just asking you to consider going someplace else."  
  
Buffy sighed. "Xander's in town."  
  
"Xander? Is everything okay in Cleveland?"  
  
"As okay as a Hellmouth can be... he asked me to go back with him."  
  
Angel nodded. "What did you say?"  
  
"That I'd have to talk to you about it first. So here I am, talking to you about it."  
  
"Well... I say that you should do what you think is best."  
  
"I will." She went over to Angel and kissed him on the lips once more. "Goodbye, Angel. I love you."  
  
"I love you too, Buffy. Stay safe."  
  
Buffy laughed, holding up her stake. "I am with Mr. Pointy by my side!"  
  
She began to walk out when he spoke up again. "Call me when you get there?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
...  
  
**_At around the same time, a little ways south of L.A...  
_**  
A man fell from the sky onto the desert road. He got himself up, dusted off all the sand, and looked up.  
  
"Bugger, that hurt," he complained.  
  
It was then he noticed the huge crater in front of him. He realized what it was and began to laugh.  
  
"Bloody hell, I did this. I did all of this..." the bleach-blond sighed. "I hope everyone made it out okay." He looked behind him and muttered, "I guess I'm walking."  
  
...  
  
The next day Xander and Buffy arrived at Cleveland's airport, tired and exhausted.  
  
"That was a long flight," she complained. She looked ahead of her and saw Dawn waving, with a huge grin on her face. The Slayer ran to her and hugged her. "It's so good to see you," she said.  
  
"I'm glad Xander got you to come here. It's been weird without you."  
  
Xander had finally caught up to the two girls and put his arms around both of them. "Babes!"  
  
"What are you doing?" asked Dawn.  
  
"Calling you babes, what else?"  
  
Dawn gave Xander a glare, then laughed. "Whatever, Xander."  
  
Buffy laughed. "I know, Dawn. You don't have to be paranoid."  
  
"Paranoid about what? Dawn attempted to ask innocently.  
  
"You and Eye Patch Boy," she smiled. "Now that I think about it, it's kind of cute."  
  
The three moved as one entity to the baggage claim, when Xander piped up. "Hey, this reminds me of high school – there's three of us, and I'm the only guy. Although Willow's not here."  
  
At the mention of Willow's name the Key forced herself from Xander's arm and began to walk off.  
  
"Dawn!" Buffy yelled. "Dawn!"  
  
Xander scratched his head. "What was that about?"  
  
...  
  
Back on the West Coast, the bleached-hair man finally made it to L.A. It was nearly nightfall by that time. What he couldn't understand was how he didn't burn up in the sunlight. "I'm bloody invincible!" he laughed when he first discovered the sun didn't affect him.  
  
By the time he found Angel's apartment, it was past sunset. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.  
  
"Coming," he heard from inside. The door opened and there stood a confused Angel.  
  
"Spike, what are you doing here?"  
  
"I have no where else to go. Sunnydale is kind of gone, didn't you hear?"  
  
Angel shook his head, and then paused for a moment. "Wait a sec, Buffy said you burned up wearing that amulet."  
  
"She's right. But for some reason I'm back."  
  
The vampire smelled him. "You definitely reek, so you're not a ghost. But..." His eyes widened. "You're alive!"  
  
"Damn right I'm alive. Hello, I'm right in front of you," he said waving his arms in front of Angel. "Wanker."  
  
He sighed loudly. "You don't get it, do you? Don't you feel your heart beating? The blood flowing through your veins?"  
  
"I just figured it was a pretty tune in my head. Wait, are you saying..."  
  
"Yeah, Spike, you're human."  
  
"Bloody hell."  
  
...  
  
Dawn sat crying in one of the bathrooms in the airport. Why was she so emotional? Well, maybe because her older sister was back. Maybe Xander would start liking Buffy again instead of her. I mean, he did have a crush on a Buffy once. True, it was eight years ago. But she heard through the grapevine that Buffy and Angel were sort-of dating back in L.A., and they hadn't been together since 1999.  
  
"But Buffy and Xander were never together," she convinced herself. "He likes me, not Buffy."  
  
She sighed, wishing Willow was there to listen.  
  
Willow.  
  
That's what made her upset. How could she forget? Willow was missing. She hadn't contacted anyone for days. God, she didn't get the chance to tell Xander or Buffy yet. But there had to have been a logical explanation for Willow not checking in... right?  
  
"Dawn?" she heard Buffy's voice from outside the stall. The brown-haired teenager sighed and got out of the bathroom stall.  
  
Buffy looked at her sister. She had been crying. "What's wrong?" she asked with concern as she hugged Dawn. "I thought you were happy to see me."  
  
"I am... it must be PMS or something, I guess."  
  
"I sometimes forget you're growing up," she replied. "If you need someone to talk to, I'm here now. I may be older than you, but I'm not old. Like Giles or someone."  
  
At that Dawn giggled, and the two headed out to find Xander.  
  
...  
  
"She's in Cleveland?"  
  
"Yeah, she left earlier today. It was for the best."  
  
"Because the Hellmouth needs a Slayer, right?"  
  
"It's already got five or six of them, I think. No, she left because of me."  
  
"You? Don't tell me you two have been making smoochies again."  
  
Angel laughed. "Yeah, yeah we were. It would never work between us, so I suggested she leave. Turns out Xander made a surprise visit out here and invited her to go back."  
  
"Are they... together?"  
  
"In his dreams!" the vampire laughed, and Spike joined in.  
  
"I want to see her," the bleach blond pleaded, "but I don't have any way of getting over there. Think you could..."  
  
"Lend you some money? In your dreams."  
  
Spike pouted. "Aw, come on now."  
  
"I'm kidding, Spike. I'll arrange a flight for you tomorrow morning, how does that sound?"  
  
"Sounds like something I should thank you for," he smiled.  
  
The two shook hands and the next day Spike took a flight out East.  
  
...  
  
"Hey, we've got a problem," said Dawn in the car ride back to their house.  
  
"What kind of demon was it?" Buffy instinctively answered.  
  
"Uh, no demons... um, well, you know how the Watchers are supposed to email us or call us on a regular basis? Since we're like, the new Council sort of?"  
  
Buffy turned around and looked at Dawn. "What about it?"  
  
"I'm kind of the person who keeps tabs on that... and one of the Watchers hasn't checked in for almost a week."  
  
Xander glanced at the rear-view mirror and made eye contact with Dawn. "It's Willow, isn't it?"  
  
"Yeah. She sent me an email six days ago, saying she was leaving Japan and going to Australia. She told me she'd contact me on Wednesday."  
  
"That was two days ago, Dawn. Why didn't you tell anyone?"  
  
"I was hoping she had forgotten or something and was going to call me yesterday. I was going to tell you about it but you had already left."  
  
"Hello," he said angrily, "we have cell phones. You could've called me. I've known Will almost my whole life, and you failed to mention she's missing!"  
  
"I'm sorry Xander," she apologized quietly.  
  
Buffy put her hand on his arm. "She didn't mean any harm. When we get back, we'll figure this out. I'm sure Willow's fine."  
  
"I hope you're right," Xander replied bitterly.  
  
When they got back to the house, Dawn ran upstairs to her room. She was already losing Xander. How could she be so stupid? Xander and Willow had a special friendship. They would always be there for each other. They loved each other. Maybe they'd eventually get together. Then Dawn would be alone and forgotten – again. But maybe it was for the better – she shouldn't get in the way of true love. "I am pathetic," the teenager muttered to herself as she turned her stereo on.  
  
Meanwhile, Xander and Buffy went through the emails and read the most recent one from Willow.  
  
"Maybe she can't get to a phone," Buffy wondered. "I mean, the Outback is all desert, right?"  
  
"She would have found a way to reach us," Xander insisted. "Something happened."  
  
"Maybe Giles or Andrew have heard from her. How about we..."  
  
"They would have told us if they heard from her. Buffy, she's missing. Get it through your head!"  
  
Buffy looked at him with a mix of anger and concern. She then stormed out of the house to the backyard and sat on the steps.  
  
What was she doing here? California was her home. Then again, it felt weird not being at a Hellmouth. She sighed. The world was so screwed up. The two men she ever really loved were vampires. And she couldn't be with either of them. "Stupid curse," she spat, thinking of Angel. "Stupid Spike!" Why did he have to die?  
  
As much as she had despised him in the past, she actually liked him during his last year. That was because he had a soul, she figured.  
  
What was with her and vampires with souls? Maybe, somehow, she could get all vamps to have souls. Then she could date each one, and see which one she liked best. Maybe get married, start a family...  
  
But it wouldn't change the fact that she loved Angel and she loved Spike. They would always be in her heart.  
  
And Riley – what a laugh. He was a nice guy. But he was too... extreme. With the Initiative and the whole letting-vampires-suck-his-blood-so-he-could-get-high thing... she cared for him. But she didn't love him.  
  
She loved Angel. And she loved Spike. William the Bloody.  
  
She closed her eyes and thought back to those last moments...  
  
_Spike was wearing the amulet, affected by its power. "Gotta move, lamb. I think it's fair to say, school's out for the bloody summer."  
  
"Spike!" She yelled.   
  
"I mean it! I gotta do this."  
  
She held Spike's hand, and it burst into flame.  
  
"I love you," she finally admitted.  
  
"No, you don't," he replied. "But thanks for saying it. Now go!"  
  
And she reluctantly escaped the Hellmouth, never to see Spike again._  
  
"My champion," she sighed, opening her eyes towards the darkening sky. "I hope you're somewhere up there looking down." She hoped that last sacrificial act was enough for him to get to heaven, but she figured with all the evil things he'd done – and the fact that he was a vampire – that he descended into hell.  
  
Buffy sighed once more and closed her eyes, imagining Spike was holding her.  
  
...  
  
He watched her from a distance. She was alone – no Scoobies around. He noticed that her hair was a lot shorter – he figured averting apocalypses gave her the urge to change her hair style.  
  
He wanted so much to run up and say "Hey, Buffy, I'm alive!" but he couldn't force himself. Words were escaping her mouth, toward the sky. She was praying?  
  
Finally, he decided to go for it. She was the reason he had traveled half the bloody country. He breathed in deeply and came out from behind the bushes. She opened her eyes and gasped, standing up with tears beginning to fall from her eyes.  
  
"Spike?" she whispered.  
  
"Yeah, luv. I'm back."  
  
"How... how did you? You burned up!"  
  
"Heaven spit me back out, I suppose. Didn't like the taste, I guess."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" she pleaded. "I was waiting and you never came!"  
  
Spike scratched his head. "Gosh, Buffy, you're making it sound like I've been gone for years or something!"  
  
She closed her eyes tightly and sighed. How was this possible? He died back in Sunnydale. How could he still exist? How could...  
  
She suddenly grew angry. "Okay, First. I've had enough of your games. Are you going to try and destroy the world again? Because frankly, I don't think one year is enough vacation for you."  
  
The former vampire was hurt. "Buffy, I'm real! I'm not some sodding First Evil!"  
  
"Prove it!"  
  
Spike softened and walked towards her, then he put his arms around her and held her close.  
  
"Oh god..." he could hear her say, "you came back... you came back to me..."_TO BE CONTINUED..._


	2. Big Bad

_All Buffy characters were created by Joss Whedon. Not me. All non-Buffy characters are my own._  
  


**One Year Later  
II: Big Bad**  
by Zzilly14  


  
  
Spike tried to hold back his own tears as he felt Buffy's soaking up his shirt. His heart – which hadn't been beating for over a century – was now rapidly going "thump thump, thump thump." He was surprised that Buffy didn't jump from the sound of it.  
  
She stepped back and looked at him. "There's something different about you. What have you been doing this past year?"  
  
"What?" he wondered. "The past year I was getting used to my soul, the First tortured me, then I got that bloody chip out of my head, and then we saved the world. You were there, Buffy."  
  
"Spike, it's 2004. You don't have any memory after the whole blowing-up-Sunnydale thing?"  
  
"2004? You must be kidding me, luv. All I remember is wearing that Champion Charm, and you told me that..." he paused for a moment, "that you loved me, and then I remember burning up – it hurt like hell – and then... there was a bright light."  
  
Buffy stared at him as he continued.  
  
"I heard a voice that said, 'What are you doing here, demon? You belong in Hell!' And I said, 'No I don't! I saved the world, there's a place here with my name on it.' Another voice said, 'Not yet, William. You've got things to do before you can enter here.' And I said 'Yeah? Then why am I here now?' I heard nothing after that. Then, I felt something getting sucked out of me, and I fell, and then I realized I was looking at Sunnydale."  
  
"And then?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Then I walked to L.A. and met up with your dark-haired lover boy – he's an ass, but he got me a plane ticket out here. So I guess he isn't all that bad."  
  
"I still can't believe you're here. Yesterday was the one-year anniversary of saving the world. I guess for you it was shorter, huh?"  
  
"It's weird alright. I don't think it was heaven though. I wasn't happy."  
  
"Well, I don't think they let vamps into heaven."  
  
Spike laughed. "But I'm not a vamp anymore."  
  
"What?" asked a surprised Buffy.  
  
"Feel my chest, Buffy. Touch it." She did, and was shocked at the vibrations of his heart. "I don't know why you didn't notice it before, when I hugged you."  
  
"I guess I was so shocked to see you alive that I didn't notice," she replied. "It's amazing, Spike... you got your humanity back?"  
  
"Looks like. So where are all your Scooby friends? No, wait, lemme guess. They're inside trying to figure some demon out. Red's researching it online, Xander's making jokes about it, and Rupert is trying to get everyone to be serious. Dawn's probably mad about something, and you're out here by yourself to think. Am I right?"  
  
"Far from it," she replied solemnly. "Anyway, you forgot Robin, Faith, and Andrew."  
  
"And Anya. What's she been up to lately?" Buffy stared at him like he said something wrong. "What?"  
  
"She died that day too. She saved Andrew's life."  
  
"Oh... poor Xander. He still loved her."  
  
She looked into his eyes. "And I loved you. Actually... I still do."  
  
Spike was speechless.  
  
"Anyway," she spoke up in a louder voice after clearing her throat, "you asked about the gang. Robin and Faith lived together in New York for a while, but they broke up."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"He wanted to get married, she didn't."  
  
"She doesn't seem the type to settle down."  
  
She laughed. "Yeah. Andrew and Willow became Watchers. They go around the world finding Slayers and training them. Giles too."  
  
"Andrew? A Watcher?"  
  
"He's one of the best. Xander, Dawn, and I lived in San Diego for a while. Then I hung out with Willow and Giles before going to L.A. with Angel."  
  
Spike sighed. "So who lives here at this house?"  
  
"Me – but I just moved in today. Xander and Dawn. I think Xander mentioned Faith drops in occasionally, but usually she's spending the night somewhere else."  
  
"Is there room for one more?"  
  
Buffy smiled softly. "I think we can handle it."  
  
...  
  
Dawn was frustrated beyond words. She had blasted her music on maximum until Xander screamed up some curse words in between the phrase "Turn it down!" Now he was really mad at her. What the hell?  
  
So she connected the headphones into the stereo and turned the volume up as high as her ears could handle it. She'd just ignore the world and be in her own universe and she wouldn't care. No one else cared about her, why should she do the same?  
  
As she was absorbed into the music she had the urge to look out the window. She didn't know why, but she felt the need that she should. She reluctantly paused the music and took off the headphones and walked to the window.  
  
She saw Buffy sitting on the steps, looking sad. She was always sad. Ever since she came back from the dead the second time, she was distant. She got better about it for a while, then there was the big battle. She was initially happy about being victorious, but then the reality of Spike being gone sunk in. Things were never the same for Buffy. She probably kept moving to different places every few months so she didn't have to dwell on losing Spike.  
  
As Dawn was lost in her thoughts watching her sister, she noticed a figure emerge from the bushes. She could recognize that bleach blond hair anywhere.  
  
"It can't be!" she thought to herself in a mixture of confusion and extreme giddiness. She froze as she watched them talking. Buffy looked angry, then Spike – it had to be him – gave her a hug.  
  
Dawn continued spying on the two outside for a couple of minutes when she heard a knock on her door. She turned to see Xander.  
  
Quickly she stepped away from the window and sat on her bed. "What's up?"  
  
"We need to talk, Dawn."  
  
"I know," she sighed. "Look, I should've told you about Willow. I made a mistake... I'm sorry."  
  
He sat next to her on the bed and looked her in the eyes. "And I'm sorry for yelling at you. Are we cool?"  
  
"More than cool," Dawn smiled, hugging him tightly. He kissed her sweetly on the cheek. "So... where's Buffy?"  
  
Before he could reply the person in question yelled up the stairs, "Guys? Where'd you go?"  
  
"I think that answers my question," Dawn giggled as the two went downstairs, holding hands.  
  
As they neared the bottom they saw a grinning Buffy.  
  
Xander smiled in return. "Buffster! You sure are in a perky mood now. What happened?"  
  
"Me." Spike walked in from the living room, surprising the one-eyed man.  
  
"Whoa," he exclaimed, "you died back in Sunnydale. Don't tell me the First is making a comeback..."  
  
The Slayer looked up at Xander. "He's corporal, so he can't be the First. It's really him. It's just one of those weird things, like Angel coming back."  
  
"But Angel went into a Hell dimension. His body didn't burn up like Bleach Boy's."  
  
Buffy sighed. "Look, I can't explain it. But Spike's back. He's real."  
  
Dawn stared at him and smiled. "I knew you'd find a way to come back. But it took you long enough."  
  
"Good to see you, Nibblet." He curiously moved his eyes to Dawn and Xander's linked hands, but decided to say nothing about it for the time being.  
  
Buffy cleared her throat. "I know I haven't even lived here one night, but I told Spike he could stay here."  
  
The long-haired teenager nodded. "I'm okay with it." Xander elbowed her. "Oww!"  
  
"But you don't own the house," he said. "Buffy, I don't know..."  
  
"I'm not a vamp anymore so you don't have to worry about me biting the lot of you." Dawn's jaw dropped open while Xander tried to keep from choking on his own spit. "What?"  
  
"How the heck did you get de-vamped?" Dawn asked.  
  
"I don't know exactly. But it's kind of nice. Now I have to get used to eating real food. What tastes good nowadays?"  
  
...  
  
On the other side of the world, a young man was walking alone in a Russian cemetery. He was caught up in playing an old video game on his GameBoy.  
  
"Come on Mario! Watch out for Goombas! Oooh, coins!"  
  
He was lost in the game so deeply that he didn't notice the vampire sneaking up behind him, preparing to attack-  
  
"Got ya!" yelled a young woman who pushed the vamp over just in time. She raised her stake and stabbed him in the chest – moments later all that remained was dust. "I got him in the heart this time!"  
  
"Uh huh," said the young man, still playing his game.  
  
"Hello? Andrew? I dusted the vamp. He was going to kill you, you know. And I saved you."  
  
Finally the Watcher paused his game and turned to the teenager. "I knew you could do it, Mary. You're a Slayer, it's what you were born to do."  
  
The auburn-haired teen sighed as she put her stake back in her fanny pack. "So, are we done for the night?"  
  
"I guess so. I think in a few weeks you'll be ready to do this without me."  
  
Mary rolled her eyes. "I'm ready to do this on my own now!"  
  
Andrew stuck his tongue out at her before continuing conversation. "So, how long have you been here?"  
  
"Forever, it seems. I wish I could go back to Virginia. But my parents are missionaries here, and until I turn eighteen..."  
  
"You're stuck with them. I understand. I was under eighteen once too, a long time ago..."  
  
"More like a few years ago," she giggled.  
  
"Whatever. But hey, you're kind of like, a missionary too. You help people by killing bad guys and stuff."  
  
"And you help people by teaching me how to do it," she smiled. "I wish you could stay..."  
  
"Well, I have a job to do," he said nervously, "so I can't. I'm like... James Bond, going from country to country, helping rid the world of evil, one hot babe at a time."  
  
Mary burst out into laughter. She walked over to him and kissed him on the cheek, causing him to blush. "You've got to be the coolest Watcher ever," she grinned.  
  
"If you say so," he replied with a geeky smile.  
  
...  
  
"I'm warning you, Spike, it's really sweet."  
  
Dawn handed him a Hershey bar. He sniffed it, grinned, and took a big bite out of it.  
  
"Very good," he said in between bites. "This is the stuff!"  
  
The teenager smiled. "Chocolate is the ultimate food. I told you it was good."  
  
Xander cleared his throat. "I'm going upstairs to check on Buffy, I think she's unpacking." The other two watched him as walked out of the kitchen.  
  
Spike licked the chocolate off his teeth. "So, you and Pirate Boy are an item?"  
  
Dawn nodded. "Yeah. He's really nice. Although he'd kill you if he heard you call him that."  
  
The former vampire laughed. "Well, I'm happy for the two of you. You look good... together, I mean."  
  
"Thanks," she replied with a smile. "Okay, how about you try... potato chips!"  
  
"Chips?"  
  
"Now these things are salty," she stated as she pulled out a bag of Ruffles. "Different from sweet. But still really good."  
  
He took out a chip from the bag and ate it. "I like chocolate better. But not bad." He then looked at his greasy hand. "Bugger."  
  
...  
  
Robin Wood, former principal of Sunnydale High, was roaming the streets of New York City. He was thinking of Faith, wondering what she was doing.  
  
"Probably slaying vampires," he muttered to himself.  
  
Even though it was midnight, the sidewalks were alive with people. As Robin passed one couple, he could sense the man was not a man. He turned around and began to follow the couple to an abandoned alley.  
  
As he rounded the corner, the vampire punched him in the face, knocking him down.  
  
"Good job, sweetie!" exclaimed the blonde as she hugged the vamp. "What do you want to do with him?"  
  
"It's my gift to you, Harmony," he smiled as his face reverted to its human form. "Do with him as you please."  
  
"Oh, you're the best!" She giggled as the two of them dragged Robin further down the alley.  
  
...  
  
There were only three bedrooms in the Cleveland house, so Spike offered to sleep on the couch.  
  
"No," Buffy replied firmly.  
  
"Well, you're not sleeping on the couch."  
  
"And neither are you. You can stay in my room... with me."  
  
Xander put his hands up. "Wait a second here. I don't like where this is going."  
  
Buffy smiled. "Fine. He can sleep in your room."  
  
The former vampire tried to keep from laughing while Xander looked back and forth at the two of them. Then he grabbed Dawn's hand and they retreated to the kitchen.  
  
"I guess I'm staying in your room, then."  
  
"You'll have to sleep on a cot, if that's alright," she stated.  
  
He nodded his head in understanding. "I see how it is. You don't trust me."  
  
"It's not that, Spike... All this time I thought you were dead. I don't want you to be alone, but I wouldn't feel comfortable being close, if you know what I mean."  
  
"How about this: You keep the room to yourself, and I'll see you in the morning."  
  
"Spike," Buffy pleaded, but he was already gone, slamming the door on his way out.  
  
...  
  
A dark-haired Slayer was in one of the Cleveland cemeteries, fighting two vamps at once. She kicked the one behind her while staking the one in front of her. Before the other one could stand up, he was dust.  
  
"Something's up," she remarked. "Five vamps in one night?"  
  
She sighed and put a cigarette in her mouth, lighting it and breathing in the toxic yet gratifying smoke. It was a bad habit, but slaying always put her in the mood for food, smoking, or sex. There was no one around to bang and nothing to munch on either.  
  
After putting out her cig she made her way out of the graveyard, deciding to go to Council Central. She hadn't been there in a while, and she was starting to get kind of lonely. Anyway, she needed to let Xander and Dawn know about the suspicious vamp activity.  
  
As she walked towards their neighborhood, she saw a bleach-blond man pacing angrily on the other side of the street. He looked familiar... but it couldn't be.  
  
"Spike?" she yelled curiously.  
  
The man turned around, giving the Slayer a shock. His eyes widened before he walked towards her. "Faith!"  
  
She stared at him as he met up with her. "What are you doing here? Better question, _how_ are you here?"  
  
"Everyone's been asking me that last question. The answer is, I don't know. But I'm in Cleveland because of Buffy."  
  
"B? Is she here?"  
  
"She flew in earlier today. I guess Xander wanted to get her away from Angel."  
  
"Does she know... you're alive?"  
  
He laughed. "Yeah. Made me mad, though. Even though I'm not a demon anymore, she still doesn't trust me."  
  
"Wait wait wait... not a vamp? Wow. What demon granted you that wish?"  
  
"I didn't ask for it, luv. I burned up, I got sent back, and found out my heart was beating again. Funny thing is, for me it was yesterday that we defeated the First. I was surprised to learn that a year has gone by here."  
  
Faith was listening intently. "That's weird. So, what did B do to make you mad?"  
  
"You know what? It's not even that important. It shouldn't have made me mad, but it did. I should get on back..."  
  
"Hey... I was actually on my way over there. I'll walk with you."  
  
"Alright, then."  
  
...  
  
A redheaded woman sat impatiently in her new home – a prison cell. She rubbed the spot on her head where it had come in contact with a swinging baseball bat. Even though it had been a few days since she was attacked and captured, it was still sore.  
  
"Hello? Can I get an ice pack here? Or some Tylenol? Or a key out of this place?"  
  
She heard a sinister laugh. "You were always amusing, Willow."  
  
"Do I know you?" the witch asked.  
  
The voice avoided the question. "You have great power, Willow. And it's a power that I want. It's a power that I need."  
  
"Well my power's not for sale. You can't just take it. This kind of thing is something gained with years of learning. And it can be abused. I killed someone. I almost destroyed my friends. I almost destroyed the world!"  
  
"I know," the voice snickered. "It's a shame you were stopped."  
  
"Who are you?" she wondered angrily.  
  
The voice was silent, then a figure stepped close to the cell, causing her to gasp.  
  
"Don't act all surprised, Willow. That hurts my feelings."  
  
...  
  
Faith and Spike returned to the house. Buffy was watching television downstairs when she turned to see them as they closed the front door.  
  
"Faith," she smiled. She got up and looked between the two of them. "It's been a while."  
  
"Didn't know you were moving up here, B. Just in time, though. Something's going down."  
  
Buffy laughed. "It's a Hellmouth, what's new?"  
  
"I dusted five vamps tonight. I think something bad is coming."  
  
The blond-haired Slayer groaned. "And I was hoping the lack of a super villain was permanent!"  
  
Spike spoke up. "Want me to investigate? Ask the local demons?"  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes. "I don't think that'll work. They'll smell your humanity the second you talk to them."  
  
"I keep forgetting. Sorry. Was just trying to help."  
  
"I know," she sighed. "Let me talk to Xander and Dawn, see if this whole increase-in-evil is just Hellmouth-y or if it's something bigger. Faith, round up the other Slayers and find out if they've seen anything weird lately. Spike... wait here."  
  
Buffy went upstairs, Faith left the house, and Spike was left standing with nothing to do. "I guess I'll just stand here then."  
  
Suddenly the phone rang. The bleach-blond let it ring three times, then decided he should answer it before it rings one more bloody time.  
  
"Hello?" he said.  
  
"Hi. Who's this?" asked a British-accented man on the other side.  
  
"Rupert? Is that you?"  
  
"Yes, yes it is... Spike?"  
  
He laughed. "Good guess. Yes, I'm alive, no, I'm not a vampire anymore, yes, Buffy knows I'm back. Any questions?"  
  
"Xander already emailed me mentioning your... return. I was calling to talk to you, actually."  
  
"About what?"  
  
Giles sighed. "I wanted to find out what happened to you, why you came back. What do you remember?"  
  
Spike recalled to him the events that followed that last battle. The Watcher listened and jotted down some notes.  
  
"Is that all?"  
  
"That's all I remember. Why?"  
  
Giles cleared his throat. "I guess I thought there would be more. But this is most interesting. Take care now. And Spike?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Uh... never mind." And then Spike heard the dial tone.  
  
...  
  
Upstairs in the guest bedroom, Xander and Dawn were putting sheets on the bed. Buffy had come in to tell them what she heard.  
  
"So Faith thinks the Big Bad is making a comeback?" asked Xander.  
  
"Well, weird stuff has been going on lately," said Dawn. "I mean, for one thing, Spike's back from the dead. And he's not a vampire anymore. That's mucho weirdo."  
  
Xander nodded. "And Willow's missing."  
  
"And lots of slayage," the teenager added. "Slayers all over are reporting increased vamp activity. It's not limited to Cleveland."  
  
"Damn," stated the blond-haired Slayer. "This is not good. Not good at all. I should call Giles."  
  
"Too late," Spike said as he entered the room.  
  
"What?" asked a confused Buffy.  
  
"He just called, didn't the lot of you hear the phone ring?"  
  
Xander cleared his throat. "There's only one phone in the house, and it's downstairs, so we knew you'd pick it up."  
  
"Oh," Spike replied. "Anyway, it was Rupert. He didn't say anything about Big Bad, but he wanted to know what happened to me."  
  
"Well I still need to talk to him," Buffy said. "You guys can just... I don't know, talk or something." Then she ran downstairs to get on the phone.  
  
"She certainly likes to be in control," Spike mused.  
  
...  
  
Giles wiped his glasses for the fifth time in three minutes. The prophecies were starting to come true – all the signs pointed to it. The former librarian was very worried, and made some tea to try to relax. Before he could his phone rang.  
  
"Hello?" he asked.  
  
"Giles! It's Buffy."  
  
"It's, uh, good to hear from you. Is everything alright?"  
  
He heard the Slayer sigh. "Something big is coming, I can feel it. Weird things are happening. What's going on?"  
  
"I'm... not entirely sure," he replied. "I'll have to do some research. What kind of things have been happening?"  
  
"Let's see... a vampire came back from the dead, except he's not a vampire anymore. Apparently Slayers all over have been fighting more vampires than usual. And Willow..."  
  
The Watcher feared the worst. "What about Willow?"  
  
"She's missing. Hasn't checked in for a few days now."  
  
"Oh my..."  
  
"I know. I'd imagine if someone tried to kidnap her or something, they wouldn't succeed. I mean, Willow's a pretty powerful witch, I think it'd be hard to attack her."  
  
"Unless..."  
  
"What, Giles?"  
  
"I must... consult my books. I'll get back to you. Goodnight."  
  
This was not good. He reread the prophecies again, making sure he was translating the text right. He took off his glasses and looked out the window. "It's happening," he said with fear in his voice. "We're doomed."  
  
_TO BE CONTINUED..._


	3. Prophecies

_Joss Whedon's the genius behind BtVS, not me._

**One Year Later  
III: Prophecies**  
by Zzilly14  


"Giles knows something," Buffy stated to her friends after getting off the phone. "He knows something and he's not telling us what it is."

"And G-man would do that because...?" questioned Xander.

Dawn, who was sitting on her boyfriend's lap, rolled her eyes. "Duh! Because it's something extremely terribly big and bad. Giles doesn't want to scare us."

Spike spoke up. "But how are we supposed to save the world for the umpteenth time if we don't know what's coming?"

...

Harmony stared at the unconscious man, with her new beau by her side.

"He definitely could use a manicure," she noted. "Look at his cuticles! It's horrible!"

"Whatever you say, Cutie," the dumb vampire chuckled. "But can we eat? I'm hungry!"

Robin stirred and slowly opened his eyes to see the two vamps staring at him. He backed up and pulled for the stake that wasn't there.

The blonde laughed. "Looking for this, Woody?" she said as she twirled the stake in her hands. Her clumsiness showed when she dropped it to the ground. "Oops. My bad."

"Here you go," her companion smiled as he picked it up and handed it to her.

"Thanks," she smiled back. Suddenly she thrust the stake into him before he could say anything, causing him to become dust.

"Boy was he annoying. He's even dumber than me. Hard to believe, huh?"

"Yes, very," he replied. "What are you going to do with me?"

She reached out her hand and helped him up. "You're going to come with me."

"Where?" he wondered.

"The Hellmouth, silly. The one in Cleveland, I mean. It's like, the Mecca for us vamps. Except we don't pray there. We do evil stuff."

"I kind of figured that. Why?"

"Why what?"

He sighed. "Why take me?"

"Because I want to. It'll be fun. And you're kind of cute. And a whole lot smarter than Jethro."

"What if I don't want to go with you?"

She vamped out. "Then you'll have to deal with me. Evil me, I mean."

"Fine. Let's go to Cleveland," he relented as he rolled his eyes.

"Oh goody!" she squealed.

...

The gang moved back downstairs to watch some television while waiting for Faith to return. Twenty minutes after the mysterious conversation with Giles, the front door opened.

"Hey guys," Faith announced as she entered the house. "I bring more Slayers." Five young women came in behind her, eyes nervously scanning around them.

Buffy stood up and looked at them curiously. "Hey. What happened?"

Faith pulled her aside. "Vampires. Dozens of them. They're getting more organized, B. They're like... an army."

"But they're still regular vamps, right?"

She sighed. "That's the thing. They are, but... there's something different about them. They're not those wacked out ubervamps, but they're harder to kill than usual. They're smarter, faster... wicked strong. These girls are freaked, Buffy. And I'm a little jumpy myself."

"This is not good," Buffy replied. Then she spoke to everyone in the room. "Okay, someone get these Slayers something to eat. And let them spend the night. I'm going to call Giles and ask him to do some more research."

"Unless the ponce knows about this already," Spike muttered.

...

"You're not her," the redhead spat.

"Yes I am, Willow. And if you think I'm the First... well..."

The blond-haired woman reached into the cage and gently stroked the captive's arm. Willow closed her eyes and smiled for a moment, before remembering her situation. She pulled away.

"But you're not her. You can't be."

"And why not? Because I've been dead for over two years? Please, Willow, it's called magic! Ever heard of it?"

"If you were Tara..." she paused after saying the name, "you wouldn't do this to me. Tara loved me."

The undead witch leaned closer to the cell and grinned devilishly. "Do you know what happens when you die? There's a window. You can see everything that happens on the Earth below. I watched you, Willow. I watched you kill a human being. And I saw you trying to love someone else."

"Kennedy was just rebound-girl," Willow admitted. "We went our separate ways after the battle..."

"But you still hurt me, Willow. I mean, come on! A Slayer? Why not just hook up with Buffy? Oh, I forgot. She prefers the undead." She snickered. "Faith would have been a better choice. She's a naughty girl, I'm sure she'd be willing to bend the rules a bit."

"Why are you saying these things? I loved you!"

"I loved you too. But then you chose magic over me."

"What?" she said as the tears began to fall. "I got over magic, remember? We got back together, before... before..."

"Before you let me die? Yeah, I know. And then instead of mourning me, you tried to destroy the world. How could I love someone who was willing to kill her best friends?"

"I was wrong, Tara, I know that now! That part of my life is in the past!"

Tara glanced at her fingernails. "And now you're a part of my past, Will. No offense, but you're really boring. And the whole Watcher thing? What a laugh that is."

"Who are you?"

She shrugged. "Tara. Who else would I be? Spike?" At that she giggled. "Now there's a fun toy to play with."

"Spike's dead too," Willow stated.

"Man, your friends have kept you out of the loop. He's back. And more alive than he has been in a century."

"How?"

Tara laughed. "Remember? Magic? Jeez, did the whole magic abuse thing fry your brain? Too bad you're afraid to use magic again. We could rule the world – together. It can be ours. All you have to do is give me some of your powers."

"I don't want the world," Willow cried. "I want Tara - _my_ Tara."

"You're getting really annoying. Why can't you get it through your head that I _am_ Tara? Death changed me! And I am better than ever before. Thanks to you."

"What do you mean?"

"You inspired me. At first, with the whole turning-evil thing, I was heartbroken. My Willow was using magic again. Not only that, but she was willing to kill. And you were so caught up in vengeance that you forgot about me."

"But..."

"Shut up and let me finish. But then, I thought, I could've been like you if I had only delved deeper into magic. I could've been more powerful than you when I was alive, but I was too stupid to try. So, in death, I watched your every move. I learned from your power. I wanted to have that power."

"No, Tara..."

"Oh yes, baby. I was dead, and yet I was gaining so much power! Who would've thought." She paused. "And then you betrayed me. With that annoying Potential bitch."

"You died, Tara. What was I supposed to do, never move on?"

"It would've been nice," she snapped. "I became so angry, so bent on revenge... that my powers allowed me to return to this plane, in the flesh. And where did I end up but right behind you in Tokyo, when I knocked you unconscious."

...

Two days passed, and the Scoobies were no closer to finding anything out about the stronger vampires or Spike's return. And nothing from Willow.

Buffy distanced herself from everyone. Everything was hectic... so reminiscent of their last year of Sunnydale. There weren't as many residents as back then, but it was still crazy. The other Slayers went home, but they were at the house most of time during the day.

The blonde-haired Slayer could be found sitting outside on the back steps, thinking about something.

"What's wrong, luv?" Spike asked her as he sat beside her one afternoon.

"This is deja vu," she laughed sadly.

"What?"

She looked at him. "When I found out my mom might have cancer... you were there."

"Oh, that. Well, you were upset. Otherwise I would've killed you."

Buffy gasped, "Excuse me?"

"That was back when I was evil! I told myself I was going to kill you, bloody chip or not. But then... you were crying. I couldn't do it. You were hurting, and... it hurt me."

"It still hurts, Spike."

"What does?"

"Everything. I don't know what to do anymore. My little sister is dating one of my best friends, and it totally wigs me out. You come back into the mix, right after I leave Angel... And then there's Big Bad Evil, wanting to ruin everything again. Will my life ever be simple and normal?"

...

Angel sat brooding in his L.A. apartment. He knew Buffy leaving was for the best, but it still hurt. And now Spike was over there, probably "making smoochies" with her.

"You're jealous," a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"No I'm not..." He paused briefly. "Okay, I am."

"Fly over to Cleveland. Try to win back Buffy's heart."

He turned to face the person sitting on the kitchen counter. "I have her heart. It's just... I'm not the only one who has it."

"Go to her, Angel."

He sighed, "Whistler, she left me. I have to respect her decision."

"Angel, listen to me. She loves you. But if you don't fight for her, her cookie dough will become cookies and you won't get to eat them."

"Enough with that stupid analogy... When does the next flight leave?"

...

A flight arriving from England landed at the Cleveland airport. A tense man cleaned his glasses before exiting the plane in a hurry, eager to get to his destination as quickly as possible.

Ten minutes later he stood before the door of a brick house, hesitant to knock. Before he could move someone opened the door and stared at him.

"Giles?" Dawn squealed. "Giles?"

She embraced him tightly.

"Hello Dawn... it's good to see you." He stepped back and grinned at the growing young woman.

"I didn't know you were coming! Did everyone forget to tell me?"

"No, no... it was a... last-minute excursion. No one knows..."

"Big Bad, right?"

"I'd rather discuss it with everyone else present."

Dawn nodded and led Giles inside. "Hey guys!" she announced loudly. "Giles is here!"

Xander was the first one to greet him. "G-man! What a... surprise!"

"I debated on whether telling you all what was developing... and I finally decided that it would be best to relay the information personally."

"This is huge, isn't it?"

"Very."

"Giles?" Buffy had come back inside and stared at her Watcher. She ran up to him and hugged him. "I'm so glad you're here."

"I am too, although I wish it were better circumstances."

"Big Bad?"

He stepped back from the Slayer. "We should sit down."

Minutes later Faith and Spike had joined the group in the living room to hear what Giles had to say.

"There's a... prophecy I discovered a couple of months ago, and I've been working on translating it from Sumerian..."

"Prophecies?" Buffy interrupted. "Why are there always prophecies?"

Giles sighed. "Will you let me finish?"

"Sorry," she blushed.

The Watcher then proceeded to recite the prophecy.

_A Hellmouth closes, its evil outdone.  
Some time must pass before it's begun.  
Heroes will drift apart, changed,  
then evil will rise, its power arranged._

After a year a champ will return.  
Life is restored, a life he did earn.  
His role is quiet, but a big role indeed,  
for he is the reason the demons will feed.

A vengeful dark power will rise once more:  
magic her weapon, sadness her core.  
Watch out for this witch, for she is to be  
a mighty destroyer of all that you see.

A Hellmouth closes, its evil destroyed.  
But watch for the return from within the void.  
Darkness may win, and the world may lose.  
You must pick a side – which will you choose?

"It sounds like something a middle schooler wrote," Xander complained. "You'd think a big evil prophecy would be worthy of a best seller's list."

Giles glanced briefly at the one-eyed man before cleaning his glasses. "Well not all evil things are good writers. I mean, look at Spike."

"Hey, I'm not evil anymore, remember? I have a soul. I'm not even a bloody vampire anymore! So go shove your insults up your ass. Wanker."

"Wait, this was originally written in Sumerian?" Buffy questioned. "Giles, you translated it in rhyme! I think you have a little too much time on your hands..."

"No... it's a word for word translation into English. I didn't make it rhyme."

Xander scratched his head. "Okay. So Big Bad's coming back. And part of it is Spike's fault."

"Hey, I didn't choose to die. I didn't choose to become human again. What I don't get is how my being alive makes vampires feed."

Giles cleared his throat before saying, "Perhaps the demon that left you was transferred into all other vampires, making them a bit stronger."

Xander groaned, "So now all vampires have some Spike in them? Oh great..."

"Not great," Buffy said. "Spike killed two Slayers. That power in every single vampire? No wonder all the vamps are coming out to play."

"And then the witch?" the one-eyed man asked nervously. "I think... I think we know who that would be. I mean, it makes sense..."

Dawn spoke up. "Maybe it isn't Willow."

"Dawn, I know it's hard to believe she'd go veiny again," Buffy stated. "But who else could it be?"

"Amy? She's sort of evil."

Her sister sighed. "I guess it's possible. But Willow's missing. And she's tried to destroy the world before. It makes sense, unfortunately, that this prophecy is talking about her."

"But Willow's reformed. She wouldn't..."

Buffy glared at her sister. "Dawnie. Deal with it. Willow's gone back to the dark side."

"No, _you_ deal with it Buffy! You are quick to assume the worst out of everything. Even your family and friends!" Dawn growled before storming back upstairs to her room.

...

"This is so exciting!" Joyce sighed happily. "I love it when there's chaos!"

"As do I, my dear," the British man chuckled after exhaling cigarette smoke. "I wish I could say I caused it."

"You can help, you know. Every bit counts. Conjure up a few spells you have up your sleeve."

"Perhaps I will."

"And the Hellmouth in Cleveland would be the perfect place to do it," Joyce suggested with a devilish smile.

"I haven't been to a Hellmouth since Sunnydale... making Ripper a Fyarl demon. Ha!"

"Mr. Giles? Too bad Buffy didn't let him kill you."

"I hate that Slayer. Although I must admit she's pretty resilient."

Joyce stared at him. "They're both in Cleveland. Mr. Giles and Buffy."

"Oh really? I suppose it's time for a reunion."

...

As she sat full of rage on her bed, Dawn heard a knock on her door.

"Go away!" she screamed.

The door slowly opened, revealing a concerned Spike. "It's just me, pet. What's wrong?"

"Buffy," she spat.

"What?"

The teenager sighed. "I'm being ignored, as usual."

"What makes you say that?" the bleach-blond wondered as he sat down next to her on the bed.

"When it was just me and Xander... it was great. It was a breath of fresh air from Potential Slayer Sleepover 2003. But now it's like old times. Which isn't all that bad – I'm glad Giles is back. And you. But then there's me, Invisible Girl."

Spike patted her thigh. "Nibblet, you worry too much. Buffy's just... Buffy. She's always going to be protective of you, even when you're both old and wrinkly."

"Are you still gonna watch my back too, even when _you're_ all old and wrinkly?"

"Me? With wrinkles? You've got to be kidding me!"

"No more demon means no more eternal youth!" she giggled. "Look, there's one on your forehead!"

She put her finger on his face, tracing the line delicately. Spike stared into her eyes, and Dawn stopped to look into his. Suddenly she leaned forward, kissing him on the lips.

"Hey!" Spike said as he pushed her away. "Bad move, Nibblet. Xander will kill me."

"Sorry," she replied. "I don't know what I was thinking. It... it won't happen again."

"Damn right it won't. I'm... I'm gonna go back downstairs."

He left the room and shut the door, leaving her torn and confused.

...

"Mary! Mary! Mary?" Andrew was roaming the cemetery a few nights later, looking for his Slayer apprentice. "Where could she have gone?"

Out of nowhere a vampire leapt out in front of the Watcher. She growled and circled him.

"Stay back!" he stated angrily, pulling out a cross. "Mary!" he yelled. "I could really use your help right now!"

The vampire laughed as her face became human. "I'm right here, Andy."

"Mary?" he squeaked sadly.

_TO BE CONTINUED..._  



End file.
